Machine for transversely slotting a strip of concrete pavement at different angles



May 9, 1967 G. WARNER MACHINE FOR TRANSV ERSELY SLOTTING A STRIP O CONCRETE PAVEMENT AT DIFFERENT ANGLES Filed Oct. 19, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f INVENTOR. GENE WARNER By ///5 ATTORNEYS HAQE/S, K/ECH P055541. c2 /1//A/ Wu? H May 9, 1967 G. WARNER 3,313,63 7

MACHINE FOR TRANSVERSELY SLOTTING A STRIP OF CONCRETE PAVEMENT AT DIFFERENT ANGLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. GENE M ARA/ER Filed Oct. 19, 1964 BY ms A7'70EA/EY5 HARE/5; Mac, RUSSELL & KERN United States Patent 3,318,637 MACHINE FOR TRANSVERSELY SLOTTING A STRIP OF CONCRETE PAVEMENT AT DIF- FERENT ANGLES Gene Warner, Whittier, Califi, assignor to Concut, Inc.,

El Monte, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Oct. 19, 1964, Ser. No. 404,884 2 Claims. (Cl. 29939) The present invention relates in general to a machine for grooving or slotting pavement and, more particularly, to a machine for transversely slotting a strip of concrete pavement at longitudinally spaced points to provide contraction joints at such points.

It is conventional in present-day concrete airport and highway construction to pour the concrete in a long strip without transverse joints. After the concrete has set sufficiently, transverse grooves or slots are cut in the strip at longitudinally spaced points, the depth of out being but a fraction of the thickness of the pavement. Subsequent contraction of the pavement results in controlled transverse cracking of the strip along the transverse slots, thereby providing the necessary contraction joints in a regular pattern.

When a strip of concrete pavement having transverse contraction joints is in use, vehicle wheels crossing the joints impose shock loads on the succeeding slabs, such shock loads being extremely severe in the case of heavy vehicles such as heavy trucks, large aircraft, and the like. In order to reduce such impact loads, it is necessary to form the joints at an angle, to the path of vehicles crossing the joints, which differs substantially. from 90". By proper selection of the angle of such a nonperpendicular joint, only one Wheel of a pair of laterally-aligned vehicle wheels will cross the joint at a time. Consequently, the impact load produced by a vehicle crossing such a nonperpendicular joint is only half the impact load imposed with a perpendicular joint.

The basic object of the invention is to provide a machine for transversely slotting a strip of pavement having very simple means for obtaining a nonperpendicular slot orientation, or any desired slot orientation. In general, the invention contemplates a cross slotting machine which includes a wheeled vehicle movable longitudinally of the strip of pavement and having a frame supported by longitudinally-spaced front and rear wheel assemblies, and which includes pavement slotting means, movable laterally of the frame along a transverse slotting path, for transversely slotting the strip of pavement while the vehicle is stationary.

More particularly, the invention contemplates mounting the wheel assemblies on the frame for pivotal movement relative thereto about upright axes so as to vary the angle of the transverse slotting path relative to the longitudinal path of movement of the vehicle along the strip of pavement. With this construction, any desired cross slot angle relative to the strip of pavement can be achieved merely by correspondingly adjusting the angular positions of the wheel assemblies relative to the frame and then orienting the Wheel assemblies parallel to the longitudinal edges of the strip, which is an important feature of the invention.

An important object of the invention is to mount each wheel assembly on the frame by means of a simple hinge, which has several advantages. For example, simple hinged connections between the wheel assemblies and the main or vehicle frame are sturdy, may be manufactured easily and inexpensively, and provide for easy adjustment ofthe angular positions of the wheel assemblies.

More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide hinge means, for connecting wheel frames of the Wheel assemblies to the main or vehicle frame, each of Patented May 9, 1967 which includes interengaged hinge elements on the main frame and the corresponding one of the wheel frames, and an upright hinge pin pivotally interconnecting such hinge elements.

Still another object of the invention is to provide locking means, for locking the wheel frames in predetermined angular positions relative to the main frame, each of which includes interengaged locking elements on the main frame and the corresponding wheel frame.

A further object is to provide a construction wherein the hinge means and the locking means connected to each Wheel frame are spaced apart in the direction of the axis of rotation of a wheel on such wheel frame and are located on opposite sides of such wheel.

Preferably the frame of the wheeled vehicle is supported by front and rear pairs of laterally or transversely spaced wheel assemblies, the front and rear pairs being spaced apart longitudinally of the vehicle. An object in this connection is to provide the wheel assemblies of one of the pairs, preferably the rear wheel assemblies, with driving wheels, and to provide means for driving such wheels to advance the vehicle longitudinally of the strip of pavement from one cross slotting location to the next.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for rotating the driving wheels which includes a differential on the frame in a laterally intermediate position, and which includes driving connections between the differential and the driving wheels, such driving connections including universal and slip joints to permit pivoting of the corresponding wheel assemblies relative to the frame.

Another object is to provide means for braking the wheels of one pair of wheel aseemblies, preferably the driving wheels, to lock the vehicle in position at each cross slotting location. A related object is to provide separately-actuable braking means for the wheels of the two brake-equipped wheel assemblies to permit steering of the vehicle along the strip of pavement. Still another object in this connection is to provide a machine wherein the two braking means act on the driving connections between the differential and the wheels of the driving wheel assemblies.

An important advantage of the particular means of the present invention for varying the angle of the transverse slotting path relative to the longitudinal path of movement of the vehicle is that it permits the use of a frame having a longitudinal dimension which is small compared to its lateral dimension. Thus, when the machine is loaded on a trailer, for example, with its longitudinal dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the trailer, the over-all width of the resulting load is minimized so that the machine can be transported long distances without exceeding maximum width limits. Also, if it is desired to transport the machine of the invention a relatively short distance under its own power, the wheel assemblies can readily be oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the frame to make driving the machine more conv'enient to the operator. Further, with the wheel assemblies oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the frame, the lateral dimension of the frame is minimized to permit passage through spaces which would not be wide enough to permit passage if the Wheel assemblies were oriented at angles to the longitudinal axis of the frame.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates in the light of this disclosure, may be achieved with the examplary embodiment of the invention described in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a machine of the invention for transversely slotting a strip of pavement, the machine being shown adjusted to cut a nonperpendicular slot in a strip of pavement;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing the left hand side of the machine of FIG. 1, except that the machine is adjusted to make a perpendicular cut in the strip of pavement;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary front elevational view, taken as indicated by the arrowed line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the arrowed line 4-4 of FIG. 3 of the drawings.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the cross slotting machine of the invention is designated generally by the numeral and comprises a wheeled vehicle 12 supported by and movable longitudinally along a strip of'concrete pavement 14, the function of the machine being to cut longitudinally spaced, transverse slots 16 in the pavement strip at an angle relative to the longitudinal edges of the strip differing substantially from 90. The wheeled vehicle 12 comprises a main or vehicle frame 1-8 supported by laterally-spaced front wheel assemblies and laterally-spaced rear wheel assemblies 22, the latter being spaced longitudinally from the front wheel assemblies. The machine 19 further includes pavement slotting means 24 for cutting successive nonperpendicular transverse slots 16 at successive longitudinal positions of the machine along the pavement strip 14. The slottihg means 24 is carried by the frame 18 of the wheeled vehicle 12 longitudinally intermediate the front and rear wheel assemblies 20 and 22, and is movable laterally of the frame, in a manner to be described, in the course of cutting each transverse slot 16 while the vehicle 12 remains stationary.

As will be described in more detail hereinafter, the wheel assemblies 20 and 22 are pivotable relative to the frame 18 about upright axes to vary the angle between the longitudinal centerline 26 of the frame and the longitudinal edges of the pavement strip 14. Thus, when the wheel assemblies 20 and 22 are so oriented that they are parallel to the longitudinal edges of the pavement strip 14, but are not parallel to the longitudinal centerline 26 of the frame, as shown in FIG. 1, the slotting means 24 cuts the transverse slots 16 at a corresponding angle to the longitudinal edges of the pavement strip.

. slotting elements 46 are moved into and out of cutting j ular to the longitudinal edges of the pavement strip 14 may be produced by pivoting the Wheel assemblies 20 and 22 relative to the frame 18 until they are oriented parallel to the longitudinal centerline 26 of the frame, and by reorienting the machine 10 until the wheel assemblies are again oriented parallel to the longitudinal edges .of the pavement stn'p.

In the particular construction illustrated, the wheel assemblies 20 and 22 are shown as being so oriented relative to the frame 18 as to cause the slotting means 24 to slant the slots 16 from right to left in the direction of travel of the machine 10. In the event that a left to right slant in the direction of travel is desired, this may be achieved readily by locating the hinge axis of each Wheel assembly on the opposite side of such assembly from the location shown.

Considering the machine 10 in more detail now, the frame 18 is shown as rectangular and as having a longitudinal dimension, in the direction of its longitudinal centerline 26, which is relatively small as compared to its lateral dimension or width, the magnitude of the latter being determined by the width of the pavement strip 14. Except as hereinafter pointed out, the frame 1 8 may be of any suitable construction so that a de one of the transverse slots 16. Each slotting unit 30 is similar to the laterally movable slotting unit of the cross slotting machine of Patent No. 2,791,412, issued May 7, 1957 to Cecil W. Hatcher, attention being directed thereto for a more complete disclosure. Briefly, each slotting unit 30 comprises a carriage 32 supported by rollers 34 movable along tracks 36 extending laterally of and mounted on the frame 18. Each carriage 32 is guided in its lateral movement relative to the frame 18 by a guide rail 38 on the frame.

Each slotting unit 30 includes a motor, preferably an internal combustion engine 40, mounted on the correspon ing carriage 32. Also mounted on each carriage 32 are laterally spaced arbors 42 the axes of which are parallel to the longitudinal centerline 26 of the frame 18. The two arbors 42 on each carriage 3-2 are driven by the corresponding engine 40 through belts 44, respectively. The four arbors 42 of the two slotting units 30 respectively carry four rotary slotting elements 46 arranged in tandem so that they all cooperate to cut a single transverse slot 16 as the carriages 32 are moved laterally along the tracks 36. that the rotary slotting elements 46 on each carriage 32 cut slightly more than one-half the length of each transverse slot 16, there being sufiicient overlap of the movements of the slotting units 30 along their transverse slotting path to insure a cut extending completely across the pavement strip 14.

The manner in which the carriages 32 are moved laterally along the tracks 36, the manner in which the rotary engagement with the pavement strip 14, and the like,

are all generally disclosedin the aforementioned Hatcher patent. Consequently, a further description herein is not required.

The front and rear 'wheel assemblies 20 and 22 re- 7.

spectively include front and rear wheel frames Stland 52 mounted on the main frame 18 for pivotal movement relative thereto about upright axes. All of the wheel means for one of the front 18 by a hinge means 54 which permits pivotalmovement of the wheel frame relative to the main frame about an upright axis to vary the angular position of a wheel means 56 relative tothe main frame so as to vary the angle of the transverse slotting path of the slotting means 24 relative to the longitudinal edges of the pavement strip 14. The wheel frame is also connected to the main 7 frame 18 by a locking means 58 for locking the Wheel frame 50 in a predetermined angular 'position. The hinge and locking means 54 and 58 are spaced apartalong the axis of rotation of the wheel means 56 and are located on opposite sides, respectively, of 'such wheel means.

Considering the hinge means 54 in more detail, it includes interengaged hinge elements 60 and 62 on the main and wheel frames 18 and 50, respectively, and includes an upright hinge pin 64 pivotally connecting the hinge i elements'62 to the hinge elements 60'.

Consideringthe locking means 58, it includes two locking elements 66 on the main frame 18 embraced by and respectively slidably engaged by two locking elements 68 V I wheel assembly 20 in question relative to the main frame a 18 may be varied readily by looseningthe nuts 76, ad

It will be understood justing the angular position of the corresponding wheel frame 50 about the axis of the corresponding hinge pin 64, and then retightening the nuts 76.

It will be noted that the load imposed on the front wheel assembly 50 under consideration is transmitted thereto through the hinge elements 60 and 62 and the locking elements 66 and 68. The result is a very sturdy mounting of the front wheel assembly 20 in question on the main frame 18, but one which nevertheless permits easy angular adjustment of the position of this wheel assembly relative to the main frame. Furthermore, this simple hinged mounting for the front wheel assembly under consideration is relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

The two front wheel assemblies 20 are identical and are identically mounted on the main frame 18. The two rear assemblies 22 are similar to the front wheel assemblies 20, and are mounted on the main frame 18 in a similar manner. Consequently, further descriptions in this respect are unnecessary.

It will be understood that all of the front and rear wheel assemblies 20 and 22 must be adjusted to the same angular orientation relative to the longitudinal centerline 26 of the frame 18. The transverse slot 16 cut by the slotting means 24 then has the same angular orientation relative to a perpendicular to the edges of the pavement strip 14. Preferably, an angular orientation for the front and rear wheel assemblies 20 and 22 which will produce the nonperpendicular slots 16 is used, rather than an angle which will produce a perpendicular slot such as the slot 28. However, a slot perpendicular to the longitudinal edges of the pavement strip 14 may be used if desired or required.

In the particular construction illustrated, each front wheel assembly 20 includes dual front wheels 102 constituting the wheel means 56, and each rear wheel assembly 24 includes dual rear wheels 104. However, it will be understood that the number of wheels in each wheel assembly may be increased or decreased if desired.

The wheels of one of the pairs of wheel assemblies 20 and 22, and preferably the wheels 104 of the rear wheel assemblies 22, are driving wheels for moving the vehicle 12 along the pavement strip 14 from one joint locationto the next after cutting a transverse slot 16 at the preceding joint location. "An exemplary driving means for the rear wheels 104 is designated generally by the numeral 106.

The driving means 106 is shown as including a differential 108, containing conventional differential gearing, mounted on the frame 18 and having driving connections 110 to the respective dual rear wheels 104. The differential 108 may be driven by a hydraulic motor 112 supplied with hydraulic fluid under pressure by a hydraulic pump, not shown, driven by one of the engines 40. (It will be noted that the rotary slotting elements 46 are not in cutting operation during forward movement of the wheeled vehicle 12. Consequently, the output of one of the engines 40 may be used to produce the desired forward movement of the vehicle 12.) Each driving connection 110 includes a shaft 114 carried by the corresponding rear wheel frame 52 and carrying a sprocket 116 driving a chain 118 trained around a sprocket 120 on an axle 122 carrying the corresponding dual rear wheels 104. The shafts 114 of the respective rear wheel assemblies 22 are connected to opposite sides of the differential 108 through shafts 124 and 126, universal joints 128 and 130', and slip joints 132. Such combinations of universal and slip joints permit the hereinbefore-discussed pivoting of the rear wheel assemblies 22 relative to the frame 18.

The driving connections 110 between the differential 108 and the two sets of rear wheels 104 incorporate braking devices 136, which may be hydraulically operated in a manner not specifically shown, but well known in the art. The respective braking devices 136 are controlled by foot pedals 138 accessible from a drivers seat 140,

from which a control console 142 for operating various other components of the machine 10 is also accessible. By applying the braking devices 136 simultaneously while making one of the transverse cuts 16, the machine 10 may be held absolutely stationary to insure an accurate cut and to prevent damage to the rotary slotting elements 46. During forward movement of the machine 10 from one slotting location to the next, any steering of the machine which may be required may be accomplished by actuating one or the other of the braking devices 136.

It is thought that the over-all of the pavement slotting machine 10 of the invention will be clear from the foregoing. Consequently, a further description is not necessary.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims which follow:

1. In a machine for transversely slotting a strip of pavement, the combination of:

(a) a Wheeled vehicle movable longitudinally of the strip of pavement and including a main frame supported by longitudinally-spaced front and rear wheel assemblies;

(b) pavement slotting means, carried by said main frame between said front and rear wheel assemblies and movable laterally of said main frame along a transverse slotting path, for transversely slotting the strip of pvement;

(c) said wheel assemblies including wheel frames respectively having wheels rotatably mounted thereon;

(d) hinge means respectively connecting said wheel frames to said main frame for pivotal movement trelative thereto about upright axes to vary the angle of said transverse slotting path relative to the path of said vehicle;

(e) each of said hinge means including at least three interleaved, vertically aligned, hinge elements on said main frame and the corresponding one of said wheel frames, and including an upright hinge pin pivotally interconnecting said hinge elements thereof, alternate ones of said interleaved hinge elements of each of said hinge means being on said main frame and the corresponding wheel frame, respectively;

(f) locking means respectively connecting said wheel frames to said main frame for locking said wheel frames in predetermined angular positions relative to said main frame; and

(g) each of said locking means being remote from the corresponding hinge means and including interengaged locking elements on said main frame and the corresponding wheel frame.

2. In a machine for transversely slotting a strip of pavement, the combination of:

(a) a wheeled vehicle movable longitudinally of the strip of pavement and including a main frame supported by longitudinally-spaced front and rear wheel assemblies;

(b) pavement slotting means, carried by said chain frame between said front and rear wheel assembiles and movable laterally of said main frame along a transverse slotting path, for transversely slotting the strip of pavement;

(c) said Wheel assemblies including wheel frames respectively having wheels rotatably mounted thereon;

(d) hinge means respectively connecting said wheel frames to said main frame for pivotal movement relative thereto about upright axes to vary the angle of said transverse slotting path relative to the path of said vehicle;

(e) each of said hinge means including interengaged hinge elements on said main frame and the corresponding one of said wheel frames, and including an upright hinge pin pivotally interconnecting said said wheel frame and being located on opposite sides hinge elements thereof; of said wheel. .7 fr t means re spefctivelyfconlnegimg lg 12 References Cited by the Examiner ames o sai mam rame or 0c ng sai w ee V frames in predetermined angular positions relative 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS to Said main f I 2,311,891 2/1943 Tyson 299- 39 (g) each of said locking means including interengaged 2,791,412 5/1957 Hatchet 299 '39 locking elements on said main frame and the corre- 3110'234 11/1963 Oster -r----- 94-45 sponding Wheel frame; and FOREIGN PATENTS (h) the hinge means and the locking means connected 10 475,792 8/1951 Canada; a

to each of said wheel frames being spaced apart in the direction of the axis of rotation of the wheel on ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR TRANSVERSELY SLOTTING A STRIP OF PAVEMENT, THE COMBINATION OF: (A) A WHEELED VEHICLE MOVABLE LONGITUDINALLY OF THE STRIP OF PAVEMENT AND INCLUDING A MAIN FRAME SUPPORTED BY LONGITUDINALLY-SPACED FRONT AND REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLIES; (B) PAVEMENT SLOTTING MEANS, CARRIED BY SAID MAIN FRAME BETWEEN SAID FRONT AND REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLIES AND MOVABLE LATERALLY OF SAID MAIN FRAME ALONG A TRANSVERSE SLOTTING PATH, FOR TRANSVERSELY SLOTTING THE STRIP OF PAVEMENT; (C) SAID WHEEL ASSEMBLIES INCLUDING WHEEL FRAMES RESPECTIVELY HAVING WHEELS ROTATABLY MOUNTED THEREON; (D) HINGE MEANS RESPECTIVELY CONNECTING SAID WHEEL FRAMES TO SAID MAIN FRAME FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO ABOUT UPRIGHT AXES TO VARY THE ANGLE OF SAID TRANSVERSE SLOTTING PATH RELATIVE TO THE PATH OF SAID VEHICLE; (E) EACH OF SAID HINGE MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST THREE INTERLEAVED, VERTICALLY ALIGNED, HINGE ELEMENTS ON SAID MAIN FRAME AND THE CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID WHEEL FRAMES, AND INCLUDING AN UPRIGHT HINGE PIN PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTING SAID HINGE ELEMENTS THEREOF, ALTERNATE ONES OF SAID INTERLEAVED HINGE ELEMENTS OF EACH OF SAID HINGE MEANS BEING ON SAID MAIN FRAME AND THE CORRESPONDING WHEEL FRAME, RESPECTIVELY; (F) LOCKING MEANS RESPECTIVELY CONNECTING SAID WHEEL FRAMES TO SAID MAIN FRAME FOR LOCKING SAID WHEEL FRAMES IN PREDETERMINED ANGULAR POSITIONS RELATIVE TO SAID MAIN FRAME; AND (G) EACH OF SAID LOCKING MEANS BEING REMOTE FROM THE CORRESPONDING HINGE MEANS AND INCLUDING INTERENGAGED LOCKING ELEMENTS ON SAID MAIN FRAME AND THE CORRESPONDING WHEEL FRAME. 